Australian Football

Hawthorn ruckman Greg Dear was a joint winner in 1985 of the Gardiner Medal, the award bestowed by the VFL on the best and fairest player in its reserve grade. He made his senior debut the same year, and went on to give the Hawks fine service in 137 V/AFL games from 1985 to 1990 and in 1992-3. 

Dear missed the entire 1991 season, one which culminated in a Hawthorn premiership triumph, after seriously injuring a knee. However, he had the consolation of being a member of the Hawks' 1986, 1988 and 1989 flag-winning teams. Immensely mobile for such a tall (198cm) player Dear continued to produce consistently telling football after transferring to Richmond in 1994 and he was a key contributor the following year to the Tigers' first finals campaign in more than a decade. The Richmond phase of his career saw him make 53 appearances in three seasons. Dear also played state of origin football for Victoria.

Author - John Devaney